1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a lift truck, especially for use in air cargo handling, including a drive part having at least one driving wheel, and a load part guided at the drive part, the load part having at least one roller and being height-adjustable relative to the drive part through the use of a lifting device.
Such lift trucks are already known in a variety of types. Thus, for example, German Patent DE 25 24 163 C as well as German Published, Non-Prosecuted Patent Application DE 38 08 007 A1 already disclose elevating a fork through the use of rollers swiveled out by a push rod. However, the disadvantage in that type of lift truck is that the achievable lift is relatively small.
Further types of lift trucks make use, for example, of a scissors lift principle with which a lift of up to approximately 800 mm may be achieved.
Employing a lift truck for air cargo handling necessitates handling relatively heavy loads amounting up to roughly 7 tons. Those loads need to be elevated to a specific, predetermined system height (for example 508 mm). The trucks which are used for that purpose need to be highly maneuverable since airport space availability is limited due to very high floor space prices.
The known structures either fail to handle the relatively high loads or are so bulky that they do not come into question for use in a cramped space situation. In addition thereto the predetermined height needs to be maintained relatively precisely, which likewise involves difficulties with structures known heretofore.